Gazbo
Well-Known Member
Yes, good policy, if you can purge all the old brake fluid out, as @Turboman has said you cannot mix the fluids as traces of the old will still work their destructive ways. I used a special system cleaner, (that was about 20 years ago, can't recall what it was), that was made to take all traces of the old type fluid out, then all the system rubbers/seals need to be changed out.
More the better if you are replacing brake lines for new then they can be individually washed out before fitting.
Like I said, it is a big undertaking but I reckon well worth it if it's a vehicle you want to hang on to, and it means no more rot and failed rubbers due to corrosion.
Gazbo
Well-Known Member
It's like a lot of this stuff, there is pro's and con's, if I had another car worthwhile keeping a long time I'd do the brake fluid thing and the waterless coolant thing because it keeps them usable for longer and narrows the risks of stuffing them up completely, say, should a coolant hose burst or a brake fail.
I found mixed reviews on dot5, and quite a lot against it. I think DOT 5.1 is later and compatible with Dot4 fluids. Re Brit part stud pulling out, I had that too, they just seemd to be cast in about 1/4 inch. Re corrsion, I meant the part not in contact with the fluid, ie under the rubber boot. It must get damp, I like the idea of vaselene inside there.
tottot
Well-Known Member
Started doing the vaselene thing when I was trialing a series 3 [ still in use as farm run around ] It would be out once a month and usualy come back plasterd in crud,a quick power wash then not used until the next month. Once a year I would retreat the brakes and find perhaps only one or two pistons had stuck despite the inevitable mess in the drums.
Turboman
Mab An Gov
IIRC, years ago, brake components used to come with a little portion of brake grease, which was actually petroleum jelly, to use under the rubbers.
I guess that practice has been abandoned in the interests of cost cutting now.
Turboman
Mab An Gov
I think your point about spare parts is very valid. There doesn't seem to be regualtion, those BP studs that pull out don't appear to be fit for the task. The problem is that we don't want to go down the type approval route where every part costs a fortune and its illegal to modify it. I think we depended on professional ethics and duty in that engineers saw it as their duty to make safe products, since dieselgate we can safely say that's history. Steel brake pipes only exist because of cost, there are many better alternatives but they all cost (pennies!) more.
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Bobsticle
De Villes Advocaat
Did one this morning. The top was the pritpart alloy and the bottom a steel. They were both leaking and the steel one had started rusting inside. Just gave them a titivate, new rubbers and threw the wheel back on. Looks like I may be doing the whole system sooner than later. I aint replacing cylinders every two years thats for sure.
Turboman
Mab An Gov
That is a ridiculously low interval for wheel cylinders.
When I bought my Ninety, the rear brakes had genuine LR cylinders, as the previous owner always had it dealer serviced.
The cylinders were still leak free and moving when I changed the rear shoes six years later.
